Kingsport school board approves funding, architect for new elementary school

KINGSPORT — The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday to approve funding for the first phase of planning a new 750-student elementary school.It is one of two planned elementary school projects, the second being a conversion of much of the former Sullivan North High School, owned by the city, to a second 750-student elementary school.The school addressed Tuesday night, set to be constructed at the current site of the city-owned Lynn View Community Center, requires $650,000 from the district's unreserved fund balance for design and planning work.KCS Chief Finance Officer David Frye said with current appropriations and the $650,000 would bring the district's unreserved fund balance down to $9,045,618 — which he said was a "little over 9%" of the total operating budget compared to a Tennessee recommendation to keep at least 3%.Frye then requested the board establish a new project within the general project fund specifically for the unnamed Lynn Garden elementary school. The board unanimously voted to approve the transfer to the general project fund for the initial phases of design and construction. The school to be at the former North also is unnamed, but policy is that elementary schools be named for deceased U.S. president.The appropriation of funds for the elementary school was one of three items for the third amendment to the KCS 2024-25 fiscal year budget. Other items included additional funding from local revenue and the superintendent's account for locker room upgrades at Robinson Middle School, as well as reallocated funds for staff development and other supplies.Architect approvedAfter reviewing responses for architectural design, Frye said the evaluation team ultimately recommended Wise, Virginia-based Thomspon & Litton to design the new elementary school."They will work in conjunction with a team with Moseley Architects to design this school," Frye said. "They have presented us with a proposal to undergo a phase one planning for this project. As I said, this will be developing some schematic designs, there will be interviews with school staff, with city staff, some public input to get this project off the ground."He also mentioned the first phase will include site surveying, traffic impact study, geotechnical surveying and environmental review.Assistant Superintendent of Administration Andy True said the board was "very pleased" to receive so many inquiries for the project, and the three finalists selected to present to the evaluation team showed "a lot of enthusiasm and thought about what the project could look like."True said Thompson & Litton have worked with KCS on other projects in the past."[Thompson & Litton] was the architect for the dome, the pool renovation, the HVAC renovations at some of our elementary schools," True said. "So I feel really good about that and continuing that work with Thompson & Litton and what they have brought to the table with us in the past, and look forward to this recommendation moving forward with him in the future."The board approved the recommendation for Thompson & Litton to be the the architects for the first phase of "design and construction administration," the agenda states, with proposed services to not exceed $644,067.Ahead of scheduleBoard President Melissa Woods said renovations at the Buck Van Huss Dome are ahead of schedule, with a ribbon cutting in the works for January 28, 2025."Plans are being made to have a ribbon cutting for the dome and to allow our students in there to play basketball and wrestle and all the things in winter sports before they graduate," Woods said. "So I'm so excited, and thank you to everyone who's been working on that, particularly Preston Construction and the countless hours they've put into that."She asked the board to consider moving the work session originally scheduled for that date to Jan. 21 so they could attend the ribbon cutting.There were also several special recognitions Tuesday night, including students and staff across the district.RecognitionsGwen Widener and Steve Sweet with TCAT-Elizabethton recognized Kingsport City Schools as a gold level dual enrollment partner for Fall 2024. Over 372 students participated in technical and career pathways available through the dual enrollment program at Dobyns-Bennett High School and the TCAT-Kingsport campus.Nori Barrett, a second grader at Lincoln Elementary School, was recognized for submitting the artwork selected for the 2024 Kingsport City Schools Christmas Card. She was given a set of cards with her artwork on it and a framed copy of her submission.Building and district-level teachers of the year were recognized and presented a certificate at the start of the meeting.